The Washington critic., 1887-05-17
TOPICS OF THE DAY.

Cabinet meeting, and enjoyed by the
President and all concerned. Mr.. w.
A. Croffut, the managing editor of the
Washington Posi-, Is an amateur mes
merist, having cultivated the faculty
with the late DR.. Beard of New York
and others until he has become quite
proficient, and can throw o subject
into state Of hypnotism as easily and
well as Carpenter or any other of the
professionals. He frequently exercises
the power for the amusement of his
friends. and the other evening invited
Secretary and Mrs. Lamar, Postmaster
General and Mrs. Vilts, General and
Mrs. Black. General and Mrs. John G.
Fremont, and several others to witness
performance. The subjects were
young men from the neighborhood, all
of whom were known to the spectators,
so there was no chance of collusion.
Mr.. CrofIut hypnotized one of them,
made him think he was Queen
Victoria on visit TO Washing.
ton, and then asked what she
wanted TO sec first. "Grover"
was the prompt reply. Another youth
was mesmeiized and made to imagine
himself the President of the United
States. "How de dor How dc do,
ma'm2' said the President, when he
was presented to the Queen. I'm
glad TO see you In Washington. How's
the Prince of Wales and the Princess
and the little Waleses? l hope you
left them all we'll" The Queen re-
piled that they were all tolerably com
a., aFt
land, who, the President said, was as
well as usual, but had gone to Rcd
Top to stay awhile. The President
bilee and expressed his surprise that
ceremonies were about to take place.
This seemed to fuddle Her Majesty a
good deal, but she parried the inquiry
England didn't mind little thing like
that. Then, turning to the President,
she asked: "Are you going to run for
a second term2" The President start.
turning sp't, to 'Ni Her Majesty, '' said, aHI
somewhat reproachfully: "LOok here,
Queen, you are trying to interview me.
You want me to tell you whether I'm
going to run or not and then you'll go
out and tell the newspaper felers, who
will publish a lot of stuff that the Presi.
dent told gentleman of prominence
who called on him today. Now, If you
want to interview me, you 60 and see
Dan Lamont. He does all the talking
for the family" The Queen repudlated
the idea with q show Of righteous In.
dignation and declared that the Presi-
dent must have mighty poor opinion
of her II he thought she would give
him away. The President responded
soothingly, saying that he did not
mean to reflect upon her politeness,
but he had been fooled good many
times by people who drew their chairs
up close to him and talked as II they
hoped to die II they told, and rushed
out and gave the whole snap to the
newspapers, just TO get little notoriety
for themselves. He said he did not talk
TO any one now. He let Dan Lamont do
all the talking, and If the Queen wanted
10 know his Views on the question of a
second term she could interview
Daniel.
~
OF all the railroad magna,es who
have testified before the Pacific Rail.
road Commission, says the New York
Sun, Mr.. Russel Sage is the most ner.
vous, most evasive and most good ma.
tured, Mr.. Morosini the coolest and
most unpumpable, and Mr.. Henry
Willard the most skillful in appearing
to tell frankly all he knows, and 10
saying nothing that can lead him into
corner. Mr.. Sage answered ques-
tions, which 1t was perfectly plain he
could answer. nervously, stammering
often and using frequently mild ges
ture with his right hand, which seemed
TO say, "Its Of no consequence any
way" Whenever he was getting led
into deep water, he Immediately got
out by the plea, ~ don't recall the
circumstances. Mr.. Morosini adopt
ed the plea of having been mere
satellite in the Gould system. never
saying much to Mr. Gould and never
having heard Mr.. Gould say much.
~
Says Washington correspondent of
the San Francisco Chronicle: Strange
as 1t sounds, one may ask dozen peo.
pie in Washington, anyhow, where
Mrs. Surratt was buried and be told
they "have really forgotten" or "nevcr
knew" Vague reports have fitted
through the press at times that her re.
mains were lying in the Potter
Field, or that they were given to a
medical college. Not half the people
in Washington know what disposition
was made of them when the old arsenal
grounds were rcmoaeled and the bodle:
taken away. Finding that the bodle:
of Wirz and Mrs Surratt were Inferred
in Mount Olivet, your correspondent
went ont to this beautiful home Of The
dead and visited the noted graves
about which there has been so much
wild speculation. The sexton met
the inquiry for the grave
of Mrs. Snrratt with a very
significant smile, that he explained
as follows; "The curiosity 10 see her
grave would have kept n guide busy all
the time for the first few years after
she was, buried here" said he. 1--WE
could uot spend time to show people
the crave, so we used 10 direct them as
well as we could and let them lind il
for themselves. There is one curious
thing. though. No one who has said
anything about II in print has ever been
able TO tell the truth" Taking the
main road the lot containing the re
mains of Mrs. Surratt was reached, ly'
ipg rear and facing the extreme cast
ern boundary of the cemetery, II Is
the very last row of lots on that side
of the grounds. The lot was donated
by friend, and is large, well laid
out lot, containing the one neglected
grave Some time ago man wa
erecting monument on his lot, and AZ
old discarded stone that was taker